Transgender woman runs for mayor

A transgender woman announced her candidacy for Amarillo mayor Thursday and said she hoped her lifestyle doesn't become a distraction during the election.

"It could turn (into a circus) depending on the media," Sandra Dunn, 53, said at a news conference for her announcement at Furrbie's restaurant downtown. "That was a concern when we thought about running. We may gain national attention."

Dunn said friends encouraged her to run for mayor in part to oppose David Grisham, an outspoken pastor and director of Repent Amarillo, a religious, fundamentalist group. Grisham announced his candidacy last week.

Grisham gained statewide media attention last year when he called for a boycott of Houston after the election of a gay mayor, Annise Parker.

"The more people that run, the better," Grisham said after hearing that Dunn was a candidate. "I'm not sure that's who you want as mayor. If they're indecisive about who they are, are they indecisive about other issues?"

Like Grisham, Dunn supports single-member districts with the possibility of two at-large candidates, she said.

Paul Harpole, a car salesman and former city commissioner, has also announced his candidacy for mayor.

He supports the current system, which lets city residents vote for each candidate, no matter which Commissioner Place they represent.

"I think in this time when we want more representation I cannot see a reason to go from five representatives down to two," Harpole said.

Dunn also said she would like to see better sex education and work to reduce teen pregnancies in the city. Dunn also said she opposes a smoking ban.

Dunn said she will rely on a door-to-door campaign to get the word out about her campaign.

Dunn said she liked some aspects of downtown revitalization, but said the effort goes too far because it requires designs to be "too uniform."

She previously ran for county commission and for City Commission. Dunn listed her occupation on the candidate application as a full-time student. She was formerly employed by the city of Amarillo as a shop foreman.

Dunn said she was a business partner to Thomas Ray Vaughan, 63, who last year was found killed at their business, Fort Williams Military Surplus and Supplies Depot, 703 N. Williams St. She is no longer involved in the business, she said.